Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-17

School Houses May He Too Luxurious
Anna C. Bracket in American Journal Of Education.
/ remember making a certain frend OF mine
quite angry one day. He had shown me over
certain high-school building. 1t had long marble
oored corridors statues, reception-rooms for Wis
itors, and Withdrawing rooms for the principal,
and others for the teachers carpeted with the best
Brussels, and handsomely furnished. At last he
stopped in an immense hall, which was TO be used
lot exhibitions, and. after pointing out al the Or
lamentations and calling my attention 10 the
comfort OF :he chairs he paused TO near my entnu-
stastic admiration. shall never forget his dis
gust when asked:
"And what Kind OF teaching is done here?"
That seemed to be thought which had not oc-
CURED to him, and the time which he had spent IN
showing me around seemed to have been entirely
lost. am afraid my answer seemed ungracious
ana yet am too jealous OF the honor and excel
eac s OF tne profession to which Deiong not 10
rear tnat amid all the mint, and an1Se, and cum
min" more important things may be overlooked.
school-houses and school-rooms TOO elegant to in
sp1re spirit for labor? Comfortable they should
be- exquisitely neat they should be, and well-pro:
portioned; but luxurious they should not be, and
In 81 NE cases 1t seems as If they were.
The public schools are an investment OF the ma
ton The income from them should be honest
men and women, loving the truth, hating lie,
and ready and anxious to help the world along by
being good citizens. Industry and proud humil-
which does not work for immediate reward or de-
pend upon task-maSter to insure its activity; q
humility which Is willing to learn from expert
ence and knows that its best Is none too good,
whatever the work to which 1t may set its hand; ;
TOO proud to stOOp to meannesS, to ask favor or
to accept a reward for the performance OF duty.
Citizens for the republic, graduated with such a
diploma, are what the republic has right to ex-
pect as the result OF her in her common
schools.
But what have marble, Brussels carpets and
cushioned chairs to do in producing such results7
Inc teachers are the servants OF the republic, and
their time while in the school Is sacred to their
work. What need OF withdrawing rooms for
them? They are not there to withdraw. or what
Us se r are Rey are not
there to be with their pupils They are not there
to rest, but TO labor. AS well have sofas and arm
school hours-the hours when the teacher is in
contact with his pupils-are OF vital importance.
They are the pure gold which may not be wasted.
Time enough for rest. withdrawal, and receptions
when the school hours are over; time enough for
preparation for the school work.
But In school there Is no time for such things.
In school 1t IS the pupils and not the visitors
whom the time and attention are due. After the
bell strikes in the morning the teacher is no more
his own. He Is a servant Of the republic, and
should be alert at his post. There is such thing
as making person too comfortable to work. A
rocking-chair and fan are not favorable to alge-
Dra and geometry, or indeed to any mental ac-
tivity:. Acushion and cigar are not provocative
of real study.
That we have improved on the old red school,
houses, with their hard and uncomfortable seats,
we do not doubt. But have we improved on the
character OF the work done In them? The exter-
nails OF our schools are fine and often elegant. Is
the teaching done in them strong and vigorous?
Is there not just shade Of danger that we may
spend too much money on the schOol-hOuses-t
we may make them too luxurious for workshops?
That Is what they ought to be. Luxury, II we can
aord IL, for our leisure hours but for the forging
OF character, the anvil and all the surroundings OF
labor. The workman diveStS himself OF all un-
necessary appurtenances when he goes TO his
task. Is the teacher workman or man Of leis-
ure? 1t Is WELL perhaps to look at this side OF the
question a little IL is possible to make the at
mosphere OF q building favorable to rest and re-
TO spend much money on schoolhouses and exhi-
bt1On rooms, and to send out therefrOm graduates
pufTed up with little nerveieSS information and
vain in more senses than one. 1t may not be out OF
place to suggest danger.